Updated. Originally posted 15th Sep 2019
Chinese HSU-001 LDUUV
Large Displacement Unmanned Underwater Vehicle
China unveiled their first large-displacement Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) at the 70th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in Beijing on 1st October. The new UUV is approximately the same size as the US Navy’s LDUUV projects suggesting that it is large enough to carry smaller UUVs or, potentially, sensors or mines.
The design appears to be intended primarily for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR). It features twin screw-back propellers suggesting that it is optimized for slow speed cruising relatively near the surface (as opposed to a deep-diving AUV). It has both vertical and horizontal thrusters both fore and aft. The spikes on the top of the hull are for launch and recovery. There appear to be external stores mounting points (‘hard points’) either side of the hull.
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Photos posted on the Chinese language internet in mid-September 2019 of the preparations for the parade showed the first public views of China’s Large Displacement Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (LDUUV). "WR" on the trucks may indicate "Wú rén" (无人) meaning Unmanned. Like the other exhibits, which include supersonic and stealth drones, it was covered in a camouflaged wrap.
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Prior large Chinese UUVs
SIA-4500 AUV: developed by Shenyang Institute of Automation (SIA), the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in 2015. Can dive to 4500 meters (hence name), and deploy a magnetic anomaly detector.
Qianlong I AUV: deep-diving AUV capable of 6000 meters for near-bottom topography measurement, undersea photography and hydrological parameter measurement. Developed gtom the earlier CR01 and CR02 deep-sea underwater vehicles, reportedly used for seabed manganese nodule detection. Arrangement generally similar to Russian Klavesin (Harpsichord) AUVs.
Weight: 1,500 kilograms
Length: of 4.5 meters
Beam: 0.8 meters
Endurance: 24 hours
Speed: 2 knots
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